China's Yuan fighting for PGA Tour survival

The 2024 PGA Tour Season comes to its conclusion at The RSM Classic at St Simons Island, Georgia, this week, with China's Carl Yuan Yechun and SH Kim of South Korea fighting for their Tour cards.

The top 125, following the conclusion of the eighth and final event of the FedExCup Fall, will secure access to all Full-Field events and The Players Championship next season. Numbers 126-150 will earn full Korn Ferry Tour status and conditional status on Tour, unless otherwise exempt.

Yuan, the lone Chinese mainland golfer to hold a PGA Tour card this season, goes into the final week needing at least a two-way tie for 15th place or better to have any chance of finishing in the top 125.

He has 352 FedExCup points from two top-10s and two top-25s, and trails Wesley Bryan, who sits on the bubble at 125th position (405 points), by 53 points. Yuan will make his fourth appearance at the RSM Classic, with a best finish of T39 in 2022.

Kim enters the week ranked 130th with 379 FedEdxCup points, and trails Bryan by 26 points.

The Korean needs to finish, at a minimum, solo 31st or better this week to have any chance of retaining his Tour card.

He made his PGA Tour debut last season and enjoyed two top-10s and seven top-25s. This year, Kim has posted one top-10 and two top-25s.

All 19 players from Nos 122-140 in the FedExCup Fall standings are in the field at the RSM Classic: Sam Ryder (122), Zac Blair (123), Joel Dahmen (124), Wesley Bryan (125), Henrik Norlander (126), Daniel Berger (127), Hayden Springer (128), Pierceson Coody (129), SH Kim (130), Dylan Wu (131), Kevin Tway (132), Matt Wallace (133), Carl Yuan (134), Garrick Higgo (135), Alejandro Tosti (136), Taylor Montgomery (137), Michael Thorbjornsen (138), Gary Woodland (139) and Kevin Streelman (140).

Chinese Taipei's Kevin Yu, who sensationally broke through for his first PGA Tour victory at the Sanderson Farms Championship last month, will be on a different kind of mission as he aims for a strong week to get back inside the 51st to 60th bracket and qualify for two Signature events — the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro Am and The Genesis Invitational early next year.

He enters the week ranked 61st in the AON Next 10.

Yu said: "Obviously got the win, but I'm still trying to get into the 51st to 60th category to play the two Signature Events.

"I'm 61st right now, so I've got to play well this week. Got the win, so maybe I'll give myself an 'A' for this season.

"Hopefully I can play better next season and get more wins."

Players who finish outside the top 125 in the FedExCup Fall standings can earn or improve their status for 2025 through Final Stage of PGA Tour Q-School presented by Korn Ferry next month, with the top five players (and ties) earning PGA Tour cards for 2025.

Exempt categories for the Final Stage include the top 40 available players below No 125 in the FedEx-Cup Fall standings and non-members whose FedExCup points are greater than, or equal to, No 150 in the FedExCup Fall standings.

Players in the top 50 in the Official World Golf Rankings published on Monday are also exempt for the Final Stage.